Improvement in fence-posts



A. B. SPROUT.

Fence-Post.

No. 200,946. Patented March 5, 1878.

MPEI'ERS, FHOTU-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

ARIEL B. SPROUT, OF HUGHESVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO GEORGE T. PAULL, OF BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEM ENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,946, dated March 5, 1878; application filed October 6, 1877.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARIEL B. SPRoUT, of Hughesville, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Fence-Posts, which is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved fence; and my invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts, as herein described, and pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1' represents a view of two panels of my improved fence. Fig.2is asection through the line x y of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cap.

Referring to the drawings, the post E is made of bar-iron one-fourth of an inch thick by one to one and a half inch wide, and about three feet long. The lower end is flattened out broad to present surface to the ground. A quarter-twist is given it to bring the broad surface in the direction of the line of the fence, which enables the post to sustain a pressure brought against the fence. The cap D serves as a base to sustain the panels, and in practice is made of band-iron, about one-eighth of an inch thick, from four to six inches wide, and eighteen inches long. The top of the cap is sunk or curved downward, as shown at f, which form I have found obviates the liability of the cap to tip or upset when pressure is brought against the fence, as when the wind is high. The sides or legs g are straight. A hole is punched through the down-curved part of top, through which thepost passes. After much experiment Ihave found that it is an improvement to have this hole of a size sufficient to admit the post and afford a little play, instead of securing Athe post and cap rmly by a wedge-key or otherwise.

By my arrangement the cap will subserve its purpose in a better manner, and not be so liable to upset.

The ends of the two panels A B overlap the cross or end cleats a b, being in the position shown in the drawings. (See Fig. l.) The lower ends of the two panels, overlapping as shown, rest on the cap D, and are locked together by the link d passing between the bars and the cross-cleats of both panels, through each end of which the wedge C is driven, which firmly keys the two panels together.

In setting up the fence, the post E is first driven in the ground. The cap D is then slipped over the upper end of the post, and lowered until the legs g rest on the ground, when they are driven in by a sledge until the top of the cap is flush with the surface. In so doing the sunk portion of the top is embedded in the ground, and packs the surface hard immediately about the post. By this arrangement and combination of post and base-cap, when a force is applied against the fence the strain on the post is brought against the sunk or down-curved top of cap, whichis below groundsurface; and in resisting this strain the sides g press against the ground in a direction nearly at right angles, and without upsetting. The panels are placed in the position shown, the cross-cleats adjoining the post on either side.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The improved fence-post, consisting of bariron post E, having a quarter-twist in the lower end, as shown, and the base-cap D, with sides g, and downwardcurved or sunk top f, through which the post passes loosely, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

A. B. SPROUT.

Vitnesses:

G. W. METZGER, .TOEN C. LAIRD. 

